We all know that maintaining a balanced diet and consuming an appropriate amount of fruits and vegetables is necessary to live a healthy lifestyle, but new study results show that these benefits may not be limited to your physical health.

In a study conducted at the University of Otago in New Zealand, researchers studied 2 groups of young adults (ages 18-25); one group maintained their normal eating habits, while the other consumed extra servings of fruit and vegetables. After a two-week period, the group consuming the extra servings of fruit and veg reported higher levels of motivation and vitality, which are associated with better mental health.

The study team concludes that: “This is the first study to show that providing high-quality FV to young adults can result in short-term improvements in vitality, flourishing, and motivation. Findings provide initial validation of a causal relationship between FV and well-being, suggesting that large-scale intervention studies are warranted.”